See this bowl of purple wine, Life-blood of the lusty vine! All the warmth of summer suns In the vintage liquid runs, All the glow of winter nights Plays about its jewel lights, Thoughts of time when love was young Lurk its ruby drops among, And its deepest depths are dyed With delight of friendship tried. Worthy offering, I ween, For a god or for a queen, Is the draught I pour to thee, -- Comfort of all misery, Single friend of the forlorn, Haven of all beings born, Hope when trouble wakes at night, And when naught delights, delight. Holy Death, I drink to thee; Do not part my friends and me. Take this gift, which for a night Puts dull leaden care to flight, Thou who takest grief away For a night and for a day. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ADOLF EICHMANN by HAYDEN CARRUTH CONTRA MORTEM: THE BEING by HAYDEN CARRUTH CONTRA MORTEM: THE VILLAGE by HAYDEN CARRUTH MY HUT; AFTER TRAN QUANG KHAI by HAYDEN CARRUTH SHADOW-CASTING by JAMES GALVIN THE MEASURE OF THE YEAR by JAMES GALVIN THEY HAVEN'T HEARD THE WEST IS OVER by JAMES GALVIN I'VE NOTHING TO OFFER by DAVID IGNATOW IRELAND; WRITTEN FOR THE ART AUTOGRAPH DURING IRISH FAMINE by SIDNEY LANIER |